No Small Victory
by Casey Toh
Summary: A sequel to "Darkness And Light." The Fellowship's reaction to the news of Boromir and Valerie's love. As requested by FehrKitten. Please read and review. Thanks. Dunno if it's a Mary Sue. Sorry.


Note: This takes place after "Darkness And Light." You don't have to read it to really understand, but it'd be much clearer. And I don't know if this piece is a Mary Sue, but if it is, please forgive me. Sorry for some corniness as well.

Disclaimer: All Lord of the Rings characters belong to Tolkien. No intentional copyright infringement is intended through their use.

  The phrases, "If it is not, I know of no other names for it," and, "…no victory is ever small," are taken from the fics "Utuvien i Anar" and E Kelly's Batman fic "Regions of Sorrows" respectively. 

   Please e-mail me if you have any questions. Thanks.

No Small Victory 

   Almost a week had passed since the fall of Sauron, the Dark Lord. The long ages of darkness and terror Morgoth and he had wrought were now passed, and all around was peace, as it should have been from the start.

   The Fellowship had at first been ready to set out from the woods of Lothlórien to aid the resurrected Gandalf in his fight against Isengard, but the wizard had somehow anticipated their intention and sent word that the Ents were enough help, and the Fellowship should rest.

   So rest, the Nine did, and Celeborn and Galadriel were fair hosts, but they knew they could not tarry for long, and held counsel.

   The Hobbits plopped down on the great root of a tree; Gimli and Legolas stood together, for Dwarf and Elf had somehow formed an odd friendship; Aragorn settled down on another root; Boromir and Valerie sat down on the ground, close, but not touching.

   Aragorn caught Legolas's eyes and smiled, cocking his head a little at the two. Legolas nodded, bright eyes mischievous. The others did not think anything was wrong.

   "Where now would the Company go?" Gimli asked.

   "I will go to Gondor," Aragorn announced.

   "We are returning to the Shire," Frodo smiled fondly at memories of the Hobbits' home, "for we miss it greatly."

   "To Mirkwood I will return to," Legolas said. "And Master Gimli has agreed to accompany me."

   "Aye." The Dwarf nodded. "For the Elves are leaving these shores."

   "How about you, Boromir?" Pippin turned eagerly to the man. "And you, Valerie?"

   "I…ah…um…" She stared down at the ground, twiddling her fingers. "I…"

   "Valerie is staying," Boromir proclaimed. "For I did ask her to."  
   Legolas and Aragorn broke into smiles, but the Man's was somewhat troubled, though he did not voice out his doubts; Gimli only rumbled; the Hobbits cheered, and danced around Boromir and Valerie, clapping and singing.

   "So are you going back to Gondor with Aragorn?" Merry asked.

   Boromir glanced at Valerie. "Nay, not yet, for I can guess my father's reaction to both the heir of Isildur returning and to Valerie."

   "What will you do, then?" Sam finally spoke.

   "'romir wants to wait until I grow up a little more." Valerie coughed, flushing. "Then he will return to Gondor."

   "No, not _he_," the redhead corrected. "_We_."

   At that, Merry and Pippin renewed their cheering, pouncing on Valerie and hugging her.

   Aragorn rose from his place and went over to Boromir. "I will speak with you of news of Gondor," he said loud enough not to arouse suspicion.

   Boromir nodded and stood up, telling Valerie to wait for him for dinner, and walked off with Aragorn. "What news do you wish to speak of?"

   "Not of Gondor," the dark-haired man said. "But of Valerie."

   Boromir frowned. "What of her?"

   Aragorn sighed. "Are you of surety that you are ready for love with her, Boromir, and she with you? For she is but a child."

   "What of Evenstar and you?" He retorted. "Surely she must be thousands of years older."

   "Yea, but I have come of age by Mortal standards. It will be some years ere the girl comes to womanhood."

   "That I know, and I will wait."

   "I do not wish for any hurt for the both of you."

   "I thank you, Aragorn," Boromir said sharply, for some grievances still lay. However, he was not as annoyed as he was compared to when her learnt that Aragorn was the true heir of Gondor in Rivendell. "But my heart lies with her," he added more softly.

   Aragorn nodded. "Then it is not my place to say anything of it. Valerie is young. You will do well to take care of her, Boromir of Gondor." He smiled.

   Boromir's eyes twinkled. "That, you shall not be in doubt of, My Lord."

***

   Valerie hummed a soft tune to herself as she strolled through the woods, picking her way carefully over roots she saw in the moonlight.

   "Where might you be going now?"

   The teen jumped, then relaxed. "Boromir, you're an idiot, y'know?"

   He chuckled and she felt his hand hold hers. "To the river?"

   "Nope, to the clearing. I want to stargaze."

   They made their way to the large clearing of Valerie's first confession of her feelings, and settled down. Boromir held the girl to him.

   "What were you and Aragorn talking about today?"

   "He was worried about our years."

   It took a moment for Valerie to understand what he meant. "Yeah, that's what I said earlier, didn't I?"

   "I care not for that." He kissed the top of her head. "You are almost into womanhood." He was silent for a while, and when he spoke again, his voice had a reminiscing quality to it. "My father did try to interest me in a few women he deemed worthy of my time and love, but I was not concerned with that."

   He gazed down at the face before his, not knowing what else to say nor understanding the unidentified emotions in him. "Is ours love?"

   Valerie could only blink at him, then averted her eyes. "I dunno."

   Boromir stared at her for a long while, his eyes taking in details of her, his mind returning to the time when Legolas had found her on Caradhras, and to the recent battle.

   _"Do not die on us, Valerie,"_ he had said.

   A new emotion rose to the surface as he realized in that moment that what he had wanted to say was, "Do not die on _me_, Valerie."

   He smiled, and reached out to pull Valerie to him, recalling how fearful he had been on the battlefield when he had learnt that she had gone to face Sauron alone.

   "If it is not, I know of no other names for it."

   Valerie laughed softly, and Boromir kissed her, willing them into one, for she was now the bearer of his heart and soul.

***

   Two voices chuckled in the dark, high up among the branches of a tree.

   "Did I not tell you that the Son of Gondor likes the girl as well, Haldir?"

   "Aye, Legolas. I believe that now."

   The two Elves stared at the two humans in embrace for a moment.

   "Come, let us leave them to themselves."

   "Yea…I challenge you to swordplay, Prince of Mirkwood."

   "I accept it."

   The leaves barely rustled as the Elves left their sentry point and joined the others, speaking naught of Valerie and Boromir to the others.

   Theirs was love formed in war, and it was a victory over the evil, distrust and enmity Sauron tried to sow among all. And in a world of their age, no victory was ever small.


End file.
